Have you ever grabbed some wardrobe photos, looked at them for the first time well after the fact and spotted something that you soooo wish you could have corrected (regarding your outfit/appearance) at the time? Well, I have - and more than once for that matter. In the case of today's snaps though, what's irking me just a tad is that, unbeknownst to me at the time, the left side of the top of my high-waisted denim skirt was flopping over.

This skirt is a fairly new acquisition and the day when these photos were taken was the first time I'd worn it, so I didn't know it had the pesky habit of failing to stay up completely upright on the left side. Being denim, a good ironing and perhaps a touch of starch will likely help remedy that little problem in the future, but as we can't go back in time and it's not getting under skin enough to forgo sharing an otherwise fine (aside from the fact I look, and was, very tired in this photos) set of early fall outfit pictures.

While I'm all for keeping the whole rainbow at hand throughout the year, I do tend to dress with the palette of the season, and none makes me giddier than that of autumn. The rich browns, burnished golds, olive greens, inky blues, soft creams, rusty oranges, regal reds, and plumy purples of fall generally work really well with my skin and hair colouring (no surprise then, that back in the days of Color Me Beautiful, I was always draped as a spring-autumn cross), and are key players in my closet no matter the season.

This fairly simple outfit - which was worn for a morning of buying Tony a new waterproof jacket - combines a fairly deep shade of orange with dark denim, small hits of black (the hair ribbon and shoes), a little gold (the swallow earrings, which are, excluding presents from Tony, my all-time favourite store bought earrings), and assorted earthy hues in the stack of bangles, for a look that rather matches the palette of the trees on the hill across the street from us.

There aren't many trees on our property, those the one that does exist (you may remember it from this post last June) is also beginning to bid adieu to its chlorophyll and take on a beautiful hue that's not too far off from that of my sweater, sprinkling some of its leaves across our grass in the process (our neighbour in the condo next door's tree continued the one you see in the shot with my shoes above).

I love the fact that, thanks to the gorgeous September weather we had here this year, it’s still warm enough to have bare toes, while at the same time get to enjoy the first signs of fall's highly anticipated return.

I know from experience that certain necklines - chiefly v-necks, mandarin collars, and collarless jackets - rarely work on me, and so I avoid them for the most part. However, when out thrifting one day earlier this year, the warm autumnal hue of this sweater caught my eye and I tossed it in my cart to try on, even though it had a v-neck. Much to my surprise - and delight - it looked (I felt) better on me than most v-necks, which I think is due to its relative width. As I don't have many v-necks, or orange pieces, in my wardrobe, I was sure to nab it right away.

This denim pencil skirt is a piece I'd been hoping to find in my size and price range for ages. For a long time I eyed a somewhat similar Levis one on eBay, but it was around $130, and even though it was vintage Levis, I just felt like that was way to much to pay for a jean skirt. I'm really glad I held off, because this past April I found them one on etsy for about a third of that price, and just love it to pieces.

The length is awesome, the colour is dark, just as I usually like my denim, and the notched high waist injects such a great 40s feel to it (I suspect it was made in the 80s though). So long as I can work out the little kink with the one side of the top of the waist staying up, I know this is going to be a very versatile piece that I'll wear often (especially during the fall and winter).

I'm elated that fall - far and above my favourite season of the year - is here and look forward to sharing more pieces channel the spirit of the season with you throughout October and into November. Right now though, I'm off to go start finalizing my Thanksgiving Day menu, as that beautiful holiday is fast approaching here in Canada (it takes place on Monday October 8th), and it's high time time I made a pumpkin pie or two to match my sweater!

I love the colors of your outfit, and I too usually do not look good in V-necks; however, I think the difference here is the way the sweater neck crosses over – this type of V-neck normally is the only one that works well for me.

That corduroy purse is attractive; I love the casualness of it, so suitable to autumn days.

I also felt that the 80s had some great pieces of clothing with longer skirts that the 70s and touches of the 40s. I never was into the actually 1980s high style “look”, in fact, I did not even recognize it while living that decade because my focus during that time was in the past. Now I see it clearly and find it laughable.

Wow, Thanksgiving already around the corner for you. Living in California, I am grateful for Thanksgiving Day in November when it actually feels like autumn.

Thank you, Trina! I love my body, curves and all, and rarely have qualms with my hips (they're womanly and marvelous, in my books), but I'm the first to admit that pencil and a-line skirts are often more slimming on me in that regard than full/circle skirts. Must be part of the reason I find myself so drawn to them! :)

The skirt looks great on you! It's a great length and fit. And the orange sweater... just the perfect color! Makes me excited for Fall. And if the floppy waist band doesn't stop you could always throw on a wide belt to make it stay put.

Thank you very much, sweet Mary. I was thinking a belt might be a "must" too, if ironing doesn't do the trick - or perhaps a large scarf worn as a sash, I always love that look and how it channels similar causal 50s looks.

Thank you very much, dear gal! This hair was second day after a rag curl set. I usually don't have good luck with keeping my curls intact overnight (no matter what I do) enough to wear them down the next day, but every once in a while (maybe one in ten curl sets) I can get a second day out of them and this was one such day. When I looked at these shots afterwards, I felt like my hair was channeling a vibe between the 40s and early 1800s (I think the ribbon helps add to the feel of both), which I kinda love :)

Oh, absolutely! I adore dresses and skirts with pockets, especially because I'm always so shy and self-conscious in public, and I find that having a place to tuck my hands helps a bit in this regard, as it prevents unintentional hand fidgeting brought on from feeling nervous or shy.

Thank you very much, dear Mara. I've been pretty much permanently sleep deprived for the past decade (since I first became chronically ill), but some nights are rougher than others. I'd say the night before these shots was taken would fall someone where in the middle of the lousy sleep scale, which left me with just enough energy for a small outing in the morning. It's very sweet of you to say you didn't think I looked tired though, thank you again.

Wow! Seasonal colour coordination, what a fabulous idea! I've never seen anyone suit those colours so well! Orange, red, brown.. everything just looks wonderful! And this may be an odd compliment, but that grass looks unbelievably luscious, I just want to roll around on it!

Thank you very much, honey! While not all oranges work with my colouring, the paler (peach, soft coral, etc) and darker ones often do, and as orange is my husband's favourite colour, I'm really trying to increase the pumpkin, apricot, rust, and salmon in my wardrobe.

We're getting treated to an incredibly nice start of autumn here, with temps many degrees above seasonal norms, so our grass is still (almost) as verdant and vibrant as it was in July. It's so lovely for sure! Wish you lived nearby - we could spread out a cozy blanket, share a picnic, and dig our tootsies into it before winter rolls back into town.

I do love that skirt! And orange is one of my favorite colors. I'm already enjoying fall and this morning it was raining and I had the windows open...ahh so therapeutic!

The temps have been yo-yo'ing a bit and one day we have the windows open all day and night and then others we have the heat on and cuddle up with the dogs and afghans. I hope fall lasts longer this year for us. I love the season so much! It does make me a little giddy!

Oh gosh I can't believe I've just found your blog - you are beautiful and I love love love your style! Your photographs are stunning too! It's funny how you mentioned about wanting to go back and fix your outfit, I completely understand!

What a fabulous ahn-saahm.... I particularly love the cheery spiced pumpkin color of the sweater. I am forever uncertain of my abilities to wear the warmer colors of fall leaves, but perhaps I should try them out this fall.

Magnificent colors, and they become you so well! I adore your earrings. And your wonderful corduroy bucket purse. But as always, i love everything you're wearing! And.. my dear Jessica.. i don't believe you ever make any wardrobe mistakes!

These are such gorgeous colours on you, the fall pallet suits your colouring beautifully! I know exactly what you mean, it really irks me if a belt I notice after taking photos that a belt isn't centred or there is a big bad crease in a skirt or dress.

Dear Jessica, I can practical hear the autumn leaves rustling, feel the cool wind blowing and smell the pumpkin baking after reading your last couple of posts.That colour is radiant on you...loving the cut of that high waisted skirt too- tres chic. Happy Autumn! xx Shauna

I'm Jessica, a lifelong lover of all things antique and vintage, especially those from the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

This blog is my visual scrapbook in which I record and share my thoughts on the multitude of sources, people and products that inspire and feed a modern gal's addiction to the past. I also post about the vintage clothes, hairstyles and make-up looks that I adore wearing.

Stay a spell and have a blast as we explore the incomparably fantastic world of vintage history and fashion together.

All images used on this site are credited to their original posters/creators/sources,
however if at any time you would prefer not to see one of your images here, please email me and I'll take it down right away.

PS...I just wanted to say thank you very much for visiting and to tell you that you're equal parts awesome and beautiful.